Duvet dry cleaning or washing: which is better?

For most duvets, washing is better than dry cleaning. Water and detergent remove sweat and body oils, which is what actually builds up in a duvet. Dry cleaning uses solvents rather than water and is the right choice for silk-filled duvets and for wool duvets labelled dry clean only. Synthetic, feather and down duvets should usually be washed and then dried thoroughly.

Why washing usually wins

A duvet collects sweat, skin oils and dust over months. These are water-soluble, so a proper wash removes them. Dry cleaning solvents are good at oils on delicate fabrics, but they are not designed to flush out a whole filling.

Many services advertised as "duvet dry cleaning" actually wash duvets in large machines. It is worth asking which one you are getting.

Reading the care label

A washtub symbol means the duvet can be washed, and the number inside is the maximum temperature. A crossed-out tub means do not wash. A circle means professional dry cleaning, and a crossed-out circle means do not dry clean. A square with a circle inside is about tumble drying: dots show the heat level, and a cross means do not tumble dry.

Questions to ask any duvet cleaner

Do you wash or dry clean this filling, and why? How do you dry it, and for how long? Is my duvet washed on its own or with other customers' items? What happens if it comes back damp or clumped?

Related guides

• Can you put a duvet in the washing machine?
• How often should you wash your sheets, duvet and pillows?
• How to wash a feather or down duvet without ruining it
• Duvet togs explained: which tog for each season